I actually... have never figured eye shadow out. I tried experimenting with it plenty of times, but I could just never get it to look right. It always came out way too extreme and I'd look so ridiculous that I'd have to wash it off. Else it would be so light that I couldn't even tell I'd put anything on.
My first piece of advice would be to get some brushes if you don't already have some. Using the sponge applicators that comes with drugstore eye shadows can make it harder to create different eye looks. Although if you work at it enough, you really can use any tool you'd like, but I find using brushes makes it MUCH easier to create an eye look with the greatest of ease.
If you already have some eye makeup brushes, then great! If you don't, some of the most basic ones you want to own include:X
Round shadow brush for packing on color.
Outer crease brush for applying/blending/smudging color into your outer crease.
Inner crease brush for applying/blending/smudging color into your inner crease.
Blender brush to soften the edges or help blend any color you've placed on the lid.
Short round shadow brush to apply and smudge any color you want to apply just below the bottom lash line.
There are plenty of nice quality brushes out there: Mac, Sigma, Hakuhodo, Morphe, etc. If you aren't willing to lay down $20-25 per brush at MAC, I've heard Coastal Scents is a much more affordable option and is a VERY similar quality. Also, do keep in mind to clean your brushes inbetween uses, here's a link to the video that taught me the importance of brush cleaning.
My second tidbit of advice would be to practice, Practice, PRACTICE! The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel about applying your makeup. When I went to the MAC store and asked for some advice, they told me to wear makeup I feel comfortable in during the day, but at night before I take off the makeup, try to practice my eyeshadow looks! Whether it's applying a brighter color, darker color, or applying color for the first time, try something a little different! You don't have to worry about the overall look since you'll be taking it off anyway. Look up tutorials, find some youtuber's GRWM (get ready with me) videos and see the whole process! Some of my favorite Makeup Youtubers would be Tarababyz, CoffeeBreakwithDani, and Lauren Curtis. I have subscribed to a lot of beauty vlogers as of late.
And finally, make sure you have some good eyeshadows! Wet'n'Wild makes some good eyeshadows, most other drugstore brands are really hit and miss though. Most people prefer to have a mixture of shimmer and matte eyeshadows to create an eye look, where to put them depends on your eye shape and how you want your eyes to appear. Most drugstore eyeshadows are primarily shimmer/sparkle shades, though I have found some mattes in a few palettes. Most of the expensive shadow palettes by Urban Decay, IT cosmetics, Tarte, theBALM, Kat Von D, Smashbox, and Lorac usually have a mix of mattes and shimmers (though you can also find purely matte palettes as well).
I hope this helps a little, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with Cherry :)
